“He is very handsome and For this reason Good at posing!” One brush stroke and some gold paint and the portrait is complete. Its subject sits on a leather sofa, a tower full of luxurious afternoon tea bites in front of him, and his eager brown eyes gaze at you with an air of hope, expectation, and a touch of authority.
I picked up the painting and turned it so he could examine the watercolor splatters, and with a cursory sniff he set the painting aside entirely and looked up at the treat tower. Not all of artist Shelley’s subjects are so disinterested in his portraits, but what can you expect when painting a Manchester terrier with a superiority complex?
This wasn’t the first time Shelley The Artist painted a dog. In fact, much of his work is in the pet arena, depicting the beloved pets of smitten owners who pay him to immortalize their dogs or cats in watercolor. I met him at the cozy Egerton House Hotel in Knightsbridge, where he was the resident artist for a unique experience; Dog owners can bring their pets for afternoon tea, which includes a portrait of their pet.
In the lounge-like guest rooms, the dog sniffed out three-layer homemade meatballs, peanut butter biscuits, and biscuits while I devoured crustless sandwiches, hot scones, and a wide variety of desserts, including plum cake with white chocolate mousse and rose-flavored sponge cake. Carrot cupcake. This is all included in the package, and for the grand sum of £550 you can also take away a small hand-painted piece of art that shows off your dog’s best side.
You’re probably thinking this deal is a bit niche and a bit risky. Who would pay £550 for afternoon tea and a portrait of their dog? I’m definitely not the only one who showers their dog with expensive experiences and gifts, because I’m part of the #DINKWAD generation and we have some serious spending power.
DINK stands for “dual income, no children,” and this demographic is one of the travel industry’s most sought-after customers. Research conducted by Hotels.com shows that 41 percent of DINKs have postponed having children in order to enjoy more adventurous holidays, while 64 percent say they have not had children yet because they like to have more disposable income.
Disposable income is what travel companies are after, and Egerton House Hotel is getting in on the action by appealing to us dog-ridden DINKs (otherwise known as DINKWADs), although since I’m single I assume I’m actually a SINKWAD. dog mom.
Pet-friendly accommodation site PetsPyjamas says DINKWADs likely made up the vast majority of its customers last year, with 89 per cent of bookings in the 12 months leading up to November 2023 being by pet owners traveling without children. So Egerton House isn’t the only travel business tempting us well-heeled dog owners with unconventional offers. Personally, I’ve spent nights in luxury properties like the Four Seasons Hotel in Hampshire, where the dog has his own bed and bowls in the room, and there’s a special menu for him in the Wild Carrot bar downstairs.
I also stayed at the five-star Boringdon Hall Hotel & Spa in Plymouth; Here I had the chance to dine with a Michelin star at the creative Àclèaf, and my dog was given his own welcome pack, which included a ball, treats and a local hiking brochure. Then my eye fell on the Mandarin Oriental in London; While this company provides similar dog grooming services, it also offers dog walking and pet sitting.
We dog owners are known to be a little more spend-happy when it comes to treating our pets. So much so that the dinosaur themed adventure park ROARR! Launching Santa’s grotto experience in December 2023, Santa’s “Bark in the Park” night, where dogs are welcomed to sit on Santa’s knee, was the first to sell out.
The DINKWAD and SINKWAD tag is not just a way for marketing managers to talk about a specific demographic group. On social media, young dog owners are embracing the hashtag, posting videos of their pets eating at fancy restaurants, lounging in luxury hotel beds, and exploring wild places from mountain peaks to empty beaches. The hashtag #dinkwad has garnered almost 60 million views on TikTok, and there are thousands of posts tagged with hashtags like #dinkwad and #dinkwadlife on Instagram.
George Bridges is one of the dog owners who welcomes this label. Together, she and her two sprocker spaniels have traveled all over Wales, climbing mountains in Snowdonia and traversing hills in the Brecon Beacons. “I always spent more money on dogs than on myself. “They have luxury collars, leashes, bowls, blankets and beds, and they get treats and lots of toys.” He even buys them fillet steaks for their birthday dinner, although he only serves sirloin at best.
“[When we travel]To make it more comfortable for dogs to stay in, I will book an Airbnb or a cabin and stay there, whereas when I traveled alone I slept in the back of cars, vans, cheap hotels, or on family and friends’ couches. “It needs to be more comfortable for dogs at all costs,” he says.
Bridges also embraces this label. “Those who know me know that dogs come first. I work two jobs to maintain the life I live with my dogs, I live in the house I live in so I can have dogs, I drive because it’s better for the dogs, my entire social media is full of pictures of dogs, dogs, and I celebrate birthdays and Christmas with gifts and personalized sacks for dogs. “I can’t say that I use this hashtag in conversation or while sharing on social media, but when I see this hashtag used, I think to myself that’s me.”
Tom Woods and Mags Doyle are the loving owners of Atticus, a three-year-old Lhasa Apso who is truly living his best life. They take him everywhere: “If a place isn’t dog-friendly, it’s probably not somewhere we’d spend our money,” says Mags. “He’s part of our family, we don’t want to leave him behind if we can avoid it.”
These are typical DINKWADs, and although they do not explicitly label themselves as such, they identify with the concept and say they have made many DINKWAD friends on their travels as well.
As I was leaving Egerton House Hotel, dog in one hand and portrait in the other, I caught the eye of another couple having afternoon tea while their miniature dachshund sniffed treats under the table. We exchanged a knowing look and a slight nod as I looked at the dog and back at them. Friends DINKWADs, I guess. We are everywhere; especially when it comes to special treatment for the dog.
Fundamentals
Lottie Gross was a guest of Egerton House Hotel (020 7589 2412; egertonhousehotel.com), which has double rooms from £455 including breakfast. Afternoon tea from £30; The “pawtrait” experience is £550, afternoon tea for two plus a doggy afternoon tea plus a portrait of your pet by Shelley Artist.